


Blooms

by ForetellerAva



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: But kinda modified I promise it makes sense, F/M, Hanahaki Disease, I just really like hurting myself okay?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:34:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25238545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForetellerAva/pseuds/ForetellerAva
Summary: At the start of every year, individuals across Fódlan suffering from unrequited love develop an illness known as Hanahaki disease, where they cough up flowers symbolizing just who they had feelings for.Or, a Dimigard Hanahaki AU.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Edelgard von Hresvelg
Comments: 17
Kudos: 54





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote half of this three months ago when I was hyperfixating on FE and half of it now so there might be some errors in canon facts in some of the later scenes and I'm very glad I managed to finish it since it's been sitting as a WIP forever. 
> 
> Anyways Dimigard gave me depression.
> 
> Hanahaki modifications inspired by this post: https://disneydreamlights.tumblr.com/post/613388226070216704 (Sorry my tumblr theme breaks posts.) Like normal Hanahaki isn't bad, just my idea works much better if Dimitri and Edelgard aren't...ya know, dying.
> 
> Flower notes at the end of the fic.

He knew the moment he saw that she was attending the officers academy in the same year, this was going to be the worst case he’d had in years.

Hanahaki Disease: It cropped up at the start of every new year in those who’d held a love in their heart that was unrequited, causing three months of intense agony as flowers sprouted from their lungs without cessation. The only known cure was for the love to be returned or for the individual’s feelings to disappear.

Dimitri’s case of Hanahaki had started a little before the Tragedy of Duscur. He could remember it vividly, that night. His father had sat beside him, collecting the bloodstained petals and trying to explain what was going on as he broke down calling her name. Wondering why she’d stopped loving him, or when his feelings had changed. But after that horrible first year he’d slowly worked at moving on. She was no longer his closest and most cherished friend. She was not coming back to Fhirdiad. 

He had buried his feelings well over the years since he’d first given her the dagger. His bouts of sickness every year had gotten weaker and weaker and hardly any petals had sprouted at all, but one look at the leader of the Black Eagles and he could already feel the red carnation vine snaking its way up his throat in the middle of that warm summer day. The sight of her was a reminder of all he had felt, and she barely acknowledged his existence.

Which was why in the middle of January, Dimitri could hardly bring himself to leave his dorm room as he coughed up a flurry of red petals, his lungs begging for some form of relief from the flowers currently blooming in them.

It was going to be a long few months.

“Your highness?” A knock on the door roused him from his state on the edge of sleep and wake. Of course Dedue would come for him. “Class is starting soon. Will you be joining us?”

Class. This wasn’t his childhood in the castle anymore, so hiding from his responsibilities for so long would not be the way to handle things properly. He looked over at the medication on his table. It was not a cure, but it would help if that crafty merchant had been telling the truth. He’d had hoped he wouldn’t find need of it, but seemed he would not be as fortuitous as he’d been in years past.

“Please apologize to Professor Hanneman. I will be out shortly, but not soon enough to make it on time.” Dimitri winced at the pain in his voice, but nothing could be done to hide that as a powerful cough wracked his body. Orange marigolds: an ill omen.

Dedue seemed to pause by the door. “I see your affliction has returned worse than normal this year.” It was obvious. Everybody knew Hanahaki season was starting around this time, and everybody who was close to the prince knew he’d had it for years. “I’ll be sure to warn the professor.”

“Thank you, Dedue. You are a true friend.” Dimitri was truly appreciative of the young man from Duscur more than ever as he downed the medication. The feeling of vines crawling up his throat began to recede.

Perhaps the day would not be so bad.

* * *

The medication was supposed to act for several hours. In this case, Dimitri intended to use it as he got through class. He watched over his classmates throughout the day, noting who in all three houses had chosen to show up.

Most of his lions had shown up, Sylvain being the one acception (though Dimitri had no doubt that it had nothing to do with Sylvain’s feelings, and more to do with the fact that the start of Hanahaki season always allowed for excused absences and his friend had somebody he was interested in pursuing) to that group, but the other houses had several individuals missing from their classes, or in Claude’s case, several coughs followed by the release of pale green petals from his chest.

Edelgard wasn’t one of them. Dimitri noticed her sitting across the room, glancing at him every time a cough he failed to suppress escaped him. The medicine had removed the pain and petals, but his lungs still begged for release from the disease that would plague it for the remainder of the season.

A part of him wondered why she would be watching. It could be a small ounce of care remaining from their time as kids, and he felt hope blossom in his chest, enough to cause him to approach her as she stood up to return to her class.

“Dimitri.” Edelgard acknowledged him with a nod.

“Good morning, Edelgard,” Dimitri nodded back. “I came to see how your house was faring this new year.”

How she was doing. Did she have the illness with a way to hide it?

“Two of us have been coughing flowers up this season,” Edelgard answered softly. “Ferdinand has been coughing up dark petals all morning to the point of needing bed rest. Hubert has also taken ill, though he has avoided me and avoided showing me the petals.” Another cough reached their ears and they turned to see Claude, staring at his petals like he still couldn’t believe he was seeing them. “They had the sense to hide in their dorms at least, so as not to scatter them everywhere.”

“It seems Claude was taken by surprise by his affliction. Perhaps he hadn’t been expecting such strong feelings on his crush.” Dimitri chuckled, though it soon devolved into a coughing fit. With Edelgard so close, it was a relief he had taken the strange concoction. Having her see the petals would have been cause for concern.

Granted, the look of concern on her face made his heart lighten ever so slightly. “Apologies, Edelgard. It appears I’ve caught a cough this season.”

“An unfortunate time, people might assume you’re experiencing a Hanahaki flare.” 

“Quite, unfortunately their assumptions would be correct.” Edelgard looked at him in surprise. “I’ve been prone to it for four years. Thankfully, I know a medicine that allows me to at least hide the petals and minimize the pain.”

“I...see.” She gave him a questioning look, as though wondering why Dimitri would choose to confide this in her. “You’ll have to forgive me for being insensitive about it. Do you know if the object of your affections could perhaps be won over?”

It was a strange question, one that caught Dimitri off guard. “Perhaps, but unlikely. She has far too many other matters to concern herself with. I’ll simply be nursing my own recovery and hopefully trying to remove her from my thoughts once more.”

Edelgard kept her face impassive after that, as though considering the information he supplied without wanting to reveal her own plans. “If you need medication to help with the cough that lingers with the petals gone, come to my room. Due to the illness that took my siblings, I sometimes find myself with weak lungs. Perhaps the medication could help with your Hanahaki Disease.”

A look of shock passed Dimitri’s face. Edelgard wanted to help him? “Edelgard—“

“If you wish to continue going about like normal, you cannot be coughing like this.” Her voice was stern. “Others will notice, and if you’re taking a Hanahaki suppressant, it’s clear you don’t want that worry. So please, accept my gift.”

“O-Of course.” He was startled into a stutter, as he stared at Edelgard. Did she truly care for him still? Even if the feelings she felt were not the same as those he felt for her. “Thank you, El.” The childhood nickname slipped out before he could stop it.

The impact it had was immediate. Her hand went to the sheath on her leg, wrapping around the hilt of the dagger that lay upon it, and for a moment her controlled face went wide in shock. Did she think he had forgotten her? The emotion vanished almost immediately, replaced by an even more cautious and strong mask. “It’s the least I could do.”

It was only as he went to his dorm to take another dose of suppressant that he realized during his conversation with Edelgard he had not coughed once.

* * *

A few days later, the amount of Hanahaki suppressants he had bought had finally run dry. Dimitri had had to skip classes as full bouquets of red came from his throat. Carnations this time; it was always the worst when they threatened to burst from his throat. After his first episode they had been notably absent, but perhaps his conversation with Edelgard had caused them to return in full bloom.

“His highness will be grateful for your gift.” Dedue’s voice was muffled through the door.

“I’m surprised he would let himself get to such a state.” His eyes widened, as Edelgard’s soft voice drifted through as well.

“Normally the flowers aren’t nearly as strong a bloom. Last year’s episode hadn’t been of note.” Dedue offered no further explanation for the deterioration and rapid advancement of the disease, to which Dimitri was thankful for.

Just as he was the fact that moments later, Edelgard walked in, two vials in hand. “Edelgard?”

“I was informed by Hubert you hadn’t attended class.” She sat down on the foot of his bed, handing Dimitri the two vials as he stared at her in wonder. “I figured you’d forgotten our conversation, or your Hanahaki suppressants had run dry.”

Dimitri was going to reply a thanks, but was interrupted as another flower passed his lips in a rough cough. “Thank you. I had intended to pick some up today, but the blooms are worse than normal.”

So much worse. The carnations always took their roots deep. “I assumed as much.”

The two remained quiet for a moment. The only sound between them was the coughs that tore through his body. “Edelgard, forgive me for asking, but why do you insist on helping my recovery? Everybody knows that the disease isn’t fatal.” Was it possible she knew the cause? Purposefully was trying to make things worse.

No. That wasn’t Edelgard’s way. She had no reason to make his suffering worse. None at all. 

“It may not be fatal, but…” she shook her head. “You remind me of somebody. My first friend.”

Her first…

“He was a noble, in Farghus.” Edelgard didn’t look at him. He took advantage of her talking to take the medications she brought for him. “For three years we were close. Though in truth I remember little about him.”

Dimitri remained quiet, causing Edelgard to fill the silence. “I apologize. Perhaps I should not have said so much.”

He shook his head. “If you do not mind, allow me to confide in you in return for your honesty, and about the source of my ailment.”

“Please, it’s the least I can do to listen.” 

“Back when I was a boy, the castle was home to many visiting nobles from the other kingdoms. Among these many nobles was a young girl from the Adrestian Empire. She brought with her the happiest years of my life. I would have moved heaven and earth for her. At the end of her visit, I gave her a parting gift, to let her cut her way to a new future.” He watched the way her muscles tensed as he continued his story. His words seemed to be reaching to some part of her she’d locked away. “I’d thought, for a while, she reciprocated my feelings for her, but then the blooms started about a year later. As the years passed, they got better…”

He left out that his affliction was so bad this year because of her. It wasn’t fair to dump that on her.

Not that he had to. Because within moments she stood up. “Edelgard—“

“Dima.” His childhood nickname fell from her lips, and he froze. “Don’t.”

“So you remem—“

She cut him off, her voice stern, hardened. Yet he could feel the undercurrent of pain within it. “Not until you told the story.” Had she not wanted him to be her friend. Had she hardened her heart that much.

“I did not mean to remind you, El.” He had wanted her to remember him, but not if it would cause her pain. Dimitri wrapped his arms around her, but she seemed unable to respond. “And I apologize if I’ve caused you any guilt.”

She shrugged him off, standing up. And without another word Edelgard walked out the door.

* * *

Things between him and Edelgard had not gotten better after that night, as he’d hoped they would have. While the flowers in his chest had ceased to have bloomed, all it did was make the separation harder. She loved him back, that much was clear. Yet she avoided him for reasons he couldn’t fathom. 

Or at least she had until earlier that day, when she’d told him to meet her on the goddess tower at midnight without so much of an explanation why.

And so with ten minutes to the new day, Dimitri was climbing up the stairs, his thoughts going over exactly what it may have been that she wished to talk to him about. As he reached the top floor there, of course, stood Edelgard. It made sense that she would be early. She wasn’t the type to be late.

While she looked visibly composed, there was a tension in the way that she stood, as though she were expecting the meeting to go poorly. She must have known he returned her feelings. He hadn’t seen her cough up a single flower.

“Dimitri.” He was dragged out of his thoughts by the sound of his name. “I’m glad you chose to come.”

“Of course, I wouldn’t miss it.” Dimitri smiled at her. “What is it you summoned me for?”

Both of them remained silent, Dimitri waiting for an answer and Edelgard weighing her words before she said them, almost as though she feared his reaction if she said it wrong. “I wanted to ask you to join me.”

_ Join her…? _ He voiced his question aloud moments later, unsure of what she meant.

Edelgard opened her palms, summoning a violet crest in her hands, one familiar despite it belonging to no member of his class. “That’s…”

“When I was a child, I was forced to endure experiments of sorts shortly after we parted. I won’t tell you the details, but when they were finished, my hair had turned white, and I gained the Crest of Flames. My entire family died except my father, but they managed to succeed in giving me the crest when others wouldn’t.”

“From that day forward, my destiny was predetermined. The church had allowed my uncle to perform his perverse experiments, and while I desire revenge on him as well, more importantly, I want to take down the system that allowed these experiments to happen in the first place.” It was clear she was risking a lot on this one gamble. She must have thought she had nothing to lose in telling him all this. “And to take down the system, to prevent the Crests from ruining another’s life like it did mine and my siblings, I need to go against the church. Not long ago, the Adrestian Empire declared me the Emperor, and now I finally have the means to do this.”

Dimitri stared at Edelgard for a long moment, letting the numbness of precisely what she’d just said sink in. “What are you saying? El...what are you planning?”

“A revolution. I apologize for not starting with that, but I figured it would be best if you understood where I was coming from first.” Edelgard offered her hand, smiling. “That perhaps, it would convince you to join me.”

“Hundreds of thousands of people will die if you do this.”

“Hundreds of thousands of people will die if I don’t do this.” Edelgard pointed out. Dimitri felt sick at her logic. “I’m making my appearance tonight, when the Professor and Archbishop Rhea attempt to sit on the throne in the tomb. “I will challenge the archbishop and the church.”

Dimitri couldn’t imagine what Edelgard had gone through to change her such. He couldn’t understand. “How long have you been planning this.”

“Not long after I survived getting my second crest.” Edelgard still hadn’t looked away. “I need an answer, Dima.”

Her using his childhood nickname in an attempt to appeal to him was like a sucker punch, and she had to know it. “I can’t...I understand you’ve suffered so much El, but I can’t stand by and support the bloody path you’re about to follow.”

“...I see. I saw this coming.” Edelgard turned away, reaching under her cloak for a helmet that sat within it. “I will leave you with a warning, escape the monastery. You still have time, and I’d hate to see you harmed.”

Dimitri watched as she put on the helmet, and if tonight’s conversation and revelation could have gotten any harder, this would have been the moment to prove it.

The helmet she wore was that of the Flame Emperor.

Edelgard was the Flame Emperor. The one responsible for the Tragedy of Duscurr. She had been the one at least partially responsible for the death of his father, of Patricia…

“Edelgard!” Dimitri charged after her, unable to comprehend, in desperate need of answers, but moreover than any of that, hurt and angry. 

Before he could reach her, to ask her the questions he still had, Edelgard was gone.

The flowers didn’t return either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flower Meanings:  
> Carnation - Pride and admiration  
> Rose - I love you/sorrow and regret  
> Gladiolus - Remembrance   
> Marigold - Death
> 
> (Since I wrote most of this chapter months ago I don't remember if I used all four flowers or not and I'm too tired to check.)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Split the fic into two chapters since the PoV changes. Almost split it into two fics because I just really liked Dimitri's section a lot more than El's but El's is where the self indulgence for myself kicks in so like I'm keeping it anyways I just want them to talk and get along again.
> 
> Check the end of the chapter for flower meaning.

It had been a year since Edelgard had launched her attack against Archbishop Rhea, and with the disappearance of Professor Byleth, there had been opposition to her advances but nothing the empire’s armies couldn’t handle. At first, Faerghus had been a thorn in her side, but the death of Dimitri and instatement of Cornelia had managed to at least temporarily reduce her problems from three to two. Admittedly, she regretted the fact that Dimitri had to die, her feelings for him had not managed to lessen since she’d learned he had been her childhood best friend, but he had made his choice that night on the Goddess Tower, and she couldn’t let some petty childhood feelings stop her plans.

There was no room for childish sentimentality or his naive views of the world, not anymore. Not so long as the Church of Seiros still stood.

So she’d done her mourning in private and moved on, which brought her to the next phase of the war: quieting the Leicester Alliance and their dissent. She looked over the reports Hubert had brought her with mild interest, noting down which lords she might be able to use to help tear the alliance apart faster. Perhaps she could talk to Claude as well, their goals were similar, and he might be willing to…

As her mind busied itself with thoughts of the war, she felt a tickle in her throat, letting out a light cough.

Perhaps she was growing ill. Edelgard shrugged and returned to her research, not giving anymore thought to the cough beyond a note to catch some rest.

Perhaps if she had, she would have noticed the small blue anemone petals that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere on the table.

* * *

“Lady Edelgard, I have the books you’ve asked for.” The past two weeks had been nothing but hell for Edelgard as Hanahaki season had once more come into full bloom. For the first time in her entire memory, she had been afflicted by the terrible disease. And none of it made sense.

She was sure the only person she had any feelings regarding whatsoever had been Dimitri, which given the wide array of blue flower petals that had been expelled lined up with her theory, but as far as she knew the object of your affection had to be  _ alive _ in order for your unrequited love to be a problem. As far as she knew, he was dead.

Which was why she’d requested Hubert bring her books on Hanahaki disease. She coughed after accepting the book, releasing some blue rose petals. “Thank you Hubert, you’re dismissed for now.”

Hubert hesitated for a second, as though he wanted to say something more. “Very well.” He placed a small vial on the desk, next to the book that Edelgard was reading. “Ferdinand suggested I bring this to you, he remembered a stall near the monastery that sold it, and how it used to help Dimitri with his illness.” At the mention of Dimitri’s name, Edelgard coughed up more petals, this time those of a daffodil. “Lady Edelgard–”

“I’m fine, Hubert.” Edelgard raised her hand before looking over the small amount of potion. “I remember he used to take this. He mentioned it to me when he mentioned he was suffering from the affliction.” Deciding she could at least use a few hours where bloody petals wouldn’t erupt from her lungs, she downed the medication. “I appreciate your concern. Tell Ferdinand I say thank you.” The noble was still a pest, but at least he had his moments like now.

“As you wish.” And with that, Hubert left, leaving Edelgard to her research as she started pouring over the books.

* * *

It had taken three days for Edelgard to finish going through all the available research on Hanahaki disease, and in those three days it became more and more clear there was only one explanation for what was going on with her.

The facts had been simple, it was only possible to show symptoms of Hanahaki if the subject of your unrequited love was still alive. 

Meaning after all of this, Dimitri was still alive.

Whether she was disappointed by his survival, or relieved that things between them may not have been completely pointless, Edelgard couldn’t say, but she did know that regardless of her feelings on Dimitri living she had to find him and deal with his survival herself. And so upon the realization she had loaded up her travel bag with as many vials of the Hanahaki suppressant as possible, and set off across the continent for evidence of wherever Dimitri may have been hiding.

For a while, it had seemed like chasing down rumors of what had happened to Dimitri might as well have been a wild goose chase. The overthrown king had either done his best to vanish entirely, or had his three close friends doing a better job than she could have ever imagined when it came down to hiding him. 

It wasn’t until one night, in a town not far from the Adrestian Empire’s borders, she heard rumors of an abandoned building no men dared to settle in due to the beast that wore a man’s face hiding within that Edelgard decided she had finally found the lead she was looking for. Clutching Amyr tightly in her hands, Edelgard emerged from her horse and into the building in front of her.

The sight she saw tugged at her heartstrings, and in spite of the medication she had taken, she felt the resounding urge to cough as vines clung to her throat, begging for the petals to escape.

For in front of her was the former King Dimitri. His once well maintained blond hair had grown out considerably in the year since she had once seen him, starting to fall towards his chin. Something had likely happened to his eye in his escape from Cornelia, as he now covered it with an eye patch. A ragged breathing shook his blue cloak that he had huddled underneath. He looked absolutely horrible, but that wasn’t what had almost made Edelgard wince in shock at what she saw.

What broke Edelgard was the single eye that was not covered by the eyepatch. Those weren’t the eyes of the living, they were the eyes of somebody already dead. Dimitri may have been breathing, but inside he had already died.

For all she could tell, Dimitri was staring right through her, seemingly uninterested in the cloaked figure that was standing in front of him, but as she stepped closer he’d gripped his lance, pointing it at Edelgard. “Do not take another step closer if you value your life.”

It was likely, judging by the threat, Dimitri had expected her to stop, perhaps to flee. But if there was anything her shortened lifespan had taught her, it was that Edelgard wasn’t bothered by the idea of her own death. “Dimitri.” She stepped towards him, watching him stiffen.

“Edelgard?” He stared at her in shock, as though trying to reconcile her under her cloak with the woman who was well on her way to becoming the empress of all of Fódlan. For a moment, she saw the boy she remembered from the academy, but it hadn’t lasted long before the bitter tone that he’d threatened her with earlier returned. “No, you’re just one of the phantoms haunting me, all because I couldn’t save you from the dark path you’d left me for.”

His words stung. Edelgard couldn’t deny that as she took another step closer. “I’m not a ghost coming to haunt you.”

At her answer, Dimitri barked out a laugh. It was uncomfortable, so unlike anything she’d have thought him able to make. “Of course you’re not.” For the first time, she got the feeling that he was actually looking at her. “You couldn’t be satisfied with me out of the way forever, is that it, finally decided to put me out of my misery.”

Perhaps that would have been a kinder fate then leaving him alive, given his state. She swallowed down another cough, unwilling to show any sort of weakness. “No. I have not Dimitri.”

“Then I suppose it’s the opposite then.” A grin crossed Dimitri’s face, a deranged grin that left Edelgard worried for her own safety. “If you’re not here to kill me, then that must be a sign that it’s time to separate your head from your neck.”

“Dima–”

“You have no right to use that name anymore.” The sting of the rejection from her former friend hurt, not just emotionally, but she felt a burn in her chest as she began coughing once more, letting out a mass of anemones, even in spite of the suppressant that still should have been doing its job.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. For both of them, it had just become painfully clear why Edelgard had decided to show up and find him.

She wouldn’t let him stop her from forming a united Fódlan, but that didn’t stop her from loving him even now.

Suddenly Dimitri was laughing again. Unlike the first, which had been aggressive, this laugh made her feel tense, like Dimitri had finally lost the last threads of his sanity. “Of course it would be something like this. So many years of enduring the Hanahaki disease only to finally be rid of it to see the very person I was in love with suffering from the same affliction for me now.”

“I’m painfully aware of the situation I’m in, Dimitri.” She didn’t need his jeers or laughs. They only made things worse, in her opinion.

“If you were looking for some form of heartfelt confession, you won’t have it.” Dimitri looked almost disgusted that the petals expelling themselves from her lungs came from her love for him. “I feel nothing but hatred and disgust for you.”

“I understand that you disagreed with me about the war, b–”

Once again, she was cut off. “The war? You think this is about your forsaken war?” The sheer anger in his voice convinced her to keep her mouth shut aside from some coughs and scattered petals. “Fódlan could burn for all I care about its fate. This is about getting revenge so they’ll finally be at rest.”

There it was again, the second reference to those dead as though they were still with him. “What are you talking about, Dimitri?”

“You were responsible for the Tragedy of Duscur. You and the rest of your empire of monsters.”

Oh.

_ Oh. _

She gripped Amyr tighter to her, wanting to be prepared in case Dimitri lashed out again. “I had nothing to do with the Tragedy of Duscur.”

“Lies! You’re the Flame Empreror. It could only be you.” 

She had only one shot at this. Had he not believed her, had he proven himself to be the King of Delusions as he showed himself to be right now, then she would have no choice but to rid the world of him once and for all. “What you say is true, I am the Flame Emperor, but while I am working with those who orchestrated the events that transpired at Duscur, I was not the cause.” Dimitri remained deathly silent, as though waiting for her to continue. “Dimitri, think back to that night we last spoke on the Goddess Tower.”

“What about it?” He hadn’t attacked her yet. That was good.

“Dimitri, during the Tragedy of Duscur I was still undergoing the experiments to give me a second crest.” She summoned the Crest of Flames to her hand once more, watching his reaction as recognition of the moment she was talking about flickered across his face. “I couldn’t have anything to do with its planning.”

“Yet you admit to working with those very same people. You expect me to believe you’re better than them?” Loathe as Edelgard was to admit it, Dimitri had a valid point. Thankfully, one she was prepared to go against.

“I don’t,” she said simply. “But they’re simply tools. Once I’ve finished taking down the church I plan on taking them down as well.” The truth was, she had no way of confirming that her uncle had anything to do with the Tragedy of Duscur, but she couldn’t put it past him to have had something to do with it at least. “They’ve controlled all of this from the beginning, and hurt both of us. Some justice must be served, but they are also powerful. To not take advantage of them would be drawing out this war for no reason.”

Dimitri remained skeptical, just as he had all those years ago. “What do you gain from telling me all this?”

Well her life, for one, but she didn’t say it out loud. “Ignoring the fact that I’m unable to get rid of my...feelings for you, you’re a powerful fighter. If we worked together, we could stop them for good.” She extended her hand out. She’d placed all her cards out on the table. If he was still interested in killing her, she’d have to take him down like the animal he had become, both to stop the flowers from consuming her lungs and out of mercy for what he had become.

He was silent, as though weighing his options before grabbing her hand. Edelgard let out an inaudible sigh of relief. “I will serve at your side until my revenge is complete.”

In spite of the fact that he wasn’t trying to kill her anymore, it was clear that for the moment revenge against Those Who Slither was going to be the only thing keeping Dimitri around.

But that was okay. It was a step up, and for now, that was enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blue Rose - I want you but I can’t have you  
> Anemone - Forsaken  
> Daffodil - Chivalry/Regard/New Beginnings


End file.
